


Not So Just King

by LeesaCrakon



Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, But He makes Up For It, Don’t copy to another site, Edmund Pevensie-centric, Intrusive Thoughts, Misunderstod Edmund, Other, Peter is a Little Shit, Poor Edmund, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-17 05:40:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21049208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeesaCrakon/pseuds/LeesaCrakon
Summary: Edmund gets into an argument with Peter during a council meeting, and harsh words are exchanged. Beginning to doubt his position as the Just King and whether or not Peter’s feelings have really changed towards him, he runs off





	Not So Just King

“Peter, if you just listen to me, I think it would be a much better idea if we-” Edmund was cut off as Peter tiredly raised a hand, looking up from the battle map that he and a few of their advisors had been studying. It had only been six years since the Pevensies had become the Kings and Queens of Narnia, but the heavy weight of being a king had already worn Peter down. 

“Edmund, please. We don’t have time for another one of your tangents,” Peter said coldly. Edmund’s throat tightened and he straightened up, fists clenching at his sides. The general and soldiers at the table exchanged awkward glances between each other. 

“My ‘tangents’ are important input on battle strategies. I’m called ‘the just’ for a reason, you know,” Edmund snapped back, leaning over the table at Peter. One of the soldiers tried to interject but was cut off by Peter. 

“Perhaps Aslan made a mistake. You’ve provided nothing of worth in all your years as King. Why would you start now?” Peter growled. The room fell silent as the two kings, the two brothers glared each other down. Edmund’s hands shook slightly and he hid them in his tunic. 

“You’re right. You always are,” Edmund said bitterly, trying to keep his voice from trembling. Peter’s angry expression slowly faded to realization. “I’ll go. Leave the intelligent people to the decision making,” the Just King continued, turning away sharply and storming out of the hall. 

“Ed…Edmund, wait! Wait, I’m sorry!” Peter called, running down the hall after his brother. Oreius followed his king and grabbed Peter’s arm, stopping the man from pursuing the other any farther. “What are you doing?! I need to-”

“With all due respect, your majesty, I believe the Just King may need a few moments alone after your words,” Oreius said, bowing his head respectfully. Peter stood still for a moment, breathing heavily and staring at the large, oaken doors his brother had disappeared behind. After a gentle yet commanding tug from the centaur, Peter finally relented and returned to the table, his stomach twisting as he went back to planning. 

Edmund, meanwhile, had returned to his bedchambers. All of his windows had been closed and the curtains were drawn. He sat in the dark, curled up on his bed and staring blankly at nothing. Silent tears rolled his cheeks and his shoulders jerked with silent, contained sobs. He desperately wanted comfort, wanted Susan or Lucy, or hell, even Peter, to come in and tell him that everything was alright and Peter hadn’t meant those things, but he knew it would never happen. He didn’t deserve it anyway. He pulled the soft comforters on his bed around himself tightly, trying to simulate some sort of human contact. Edmund continued to shake and cry softly, burying himself in his blankets and shutting himself out. 

Peter thought Edmund would come down for dinner. As his sisters ate and talked, he didn’t touch his food once, staring at the doors and waiting for Edmund to come down. He never did. He never even poked his raven-haired head through the door. Peter had seen so sign of Edmund anywhere in the castle since their fight. He tapped his fingers anxiously on the table, the other hiding his face as he tried to conceal his nervousness from his sisters. There was no reason that they, too, should worry about their brother. 

“Have either of you seen Edmund today? I saw him go into his room earlier and he hasn’t come out since,” Lucy piped up suddenly, setting down her fork and looking at her two eldest siblings with curiosity. 

“I was just about to ask you two the same thing. It isn’t like Edmund to just lock himself away…Peter, do you know anything?” Susan replied. Both of Narnia’s Queens turned to face the High King, who had gone rigid and face drained of all color. Lucy frowned at her brother’s countenance, reaching across the table and taking Peter’s now shaking hand. The High King was startled out of his thoughts and looked at his sister. She repeated her question and he swallowed thickly. 

“Ed and I…got into a fight earlier today. I said some hurtful things. He…He may not have taken them so well,” Peter said quietly, closing his eyes and taking a shaky breath. He heard Susan gasp and begin to speak, but he didn’t let her. Standing up abruptly, his chair screeching against the floor, Peter made his decision. “I’m going in to check on him. I’ll either bring him down or stay upstairs with him; either way, tell the servants we are not to be disturbed,” Peter said, voice clipped but not sharp. Lucy nodded and followed him out of the dining hall to inform any servants who may enter their bedchambers not to disturb the two kings. Peter marched with purpose through the dark halls. It was late, the moon was already out and shining brightly through the stain glass windows. Edmund would have been alone for hours. Peter’s heart ached at the thought of his brother, his little brother, holed up and left alone with his agonizing thoughts, and it was all Peter’s fault. He reopened an old wound, he knew that, and one that Edmund hated the most. The poor boy had always been insecure about his place at Peter’s side, and his older brother had essentially confirmed his worst fears. 

Peter could hear Edmund crying through his door. It was a hollow, depressing sound that sent Peter reeling. He had done this. He had been the one to hurt his little brother like this. How could he? What was wrong with him? The sheer guilt almost made the high king turn away, but then his brother let out a heartwrenching sob and said, “I’m sorry…I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Peter couldn’t take it. He pushed open the (surprisingly) unlocked door and came in quickly, searching wildly around for his brother. Edmund sat bolt upright in his bed, hair sticking up and messing and his face wet with tears, eyes puffy and red. Peter froze, hand still on the door handle. 

“If you’ve come to yell at me some more, go ahead. I don’t care anymore,” Edmund croaked, his throat so raw from crying he could barely speak. Peter’s heart twisted and he clenched his jaw to stop himself from crying. Edmund stared at him for a moment before curling up on his bed again, hugging a pillow to his chest. Peter closed the door gently and Edmund relaxed, thinking his brother had left the room, but he immediately stiffened again when he felt the bed dip beside him. His breathing grew quicker and his knuckles were white as he gripped his pillow and quilts. He said he wouldn’t care if Peter yelled more, but he would. It would hurt. His heart would shatter. It was already broken, but there were just a few cracks and chips. If Peter persisted, Edmund knew it would break completely. 

“Oh, Ed,” Peter murmured, unable to help himself as the tears in his eyes slowly began to fall. “I’m so sorry, You have no idea how sorry I am,” he continued. Edmund flinched as his brother rested a hand on his shoulder, and continued to stay rigid as the other boy tried to comfort him. “I didn’t mean what I said. You’ve contributed so much to the Kingdom…even in the first battle, breaking the witch’s wand and your genius idea with the eagles..” Edmund was by no means relaxed, but he was listening now. Peter’s voice was breaking. “I’ve been awful to you, I really have. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I want you to know how sorry I am.” Edmund was quiet for a moment. 

“A simple ‘sorry’ isn’t going to fix this,” he said coldly. Peter’s hand stiffened where it was on Edmund’s back, and the Just King was surprised at his own harshness. He didn’t regret it though, Years of always being second best, always being compared to Peter, always being beaten down and insulted just for who he was came rushing out in that simple sentence. Edmund didn’t realize it, but Peter sensed that. 

“I know, Ed. I didn’t expect it too. I just…I want you to know. You can take all the time you need to forgive me. Or not forgive me at all, it’s your choice. All I know is that Narnia needs her Just King. Narnia needs you, Edmund, and my words are meaningless against the backdrop of your accomplishments. I promise.” Edmund choked up, squeezing his eyes shut and letting out a shuddering sob. He wanted to believe Peter so badly, but doubt and fear reigned supreme in his thoughts. How could his subjects trust him after his betrayal? What if Peter had been right earlier, even if he hadn’t meant it? He started sobbing harder and gasped when two strong arms wrapped around him, pulling up from his bed. Edmund found himself pressed against a crying Peter’s chest, who buried his face in Edmund’s hair. Edmund struggled weakly for a moment before finally giving up, sobbing heartbrokenly into Peter’s chest, clinging to the back of his older brother’s tunic and practically wailing. 

“It’s not fair! Why does everyone always hate me so much?” Edmund cried between shuddering sobs, curling up against Peter and clinging to him like a lifeline. “I just want to help! I just…I just want people to know I’m there! That you aren’t the only good one! Why- Why can’t anyone see-” Edmund started sobbing too hard to talk. Peter just held him, rocking his little brother in his arms and shaking slightly as tears fell down into the dark hair. He couldn’t believe his brother had been bottling up so much pain. Peter ran a gentle hand through Edmund’s hair, and the younger man’s violent sobs turned to choked crying, then slowly faded to whimpers. 

“They will see, Edmund. I swear they will,” Peter promised fiercely, cupping his brother’s face and wiping away the tears as he kissed his temple. Edmund sniffled and closed his eyes.

“You aren’t exactly the best at keeping promises,” Edmund said, and Peter was relieved to hear the slight joking tone. His mouth even twitched into a tiny smile when he teased Peter. 

“Well, I’ll do everything I can to keep this own,” Peter said sincerely. Edmund nodded and wiped his eyes, sighing softly. Peter held him for a moment, his own crying slowing to a stop. Edmund closed his eyes and rested his head on Peter’s chest, arms wrapped lazily around his waist. Peter went to offer Edmund some dinner, only to see his younger brother fast asleep in his arms, exhausted from the emotional turmoil and the crying. Peter smiled and settled the younger King down onto his bed, drying his face of any lingering tears before making the final decision of his day. He got into bed beside his brother, returning him into his arms and holding him while he slept, hoping to chase away bad dreams and horrid thoughts. Peter had almost lost Edmund once. He wasn’t about to let it happen again. 


End file.
